Angry vendors file complaint over Phuket Floating Market flop

PHUKET: Angry vendors from the Phuket Floating Market filed a formal complaint with the Kathu District Chief this afternoon (Sept 20), calling for compensation from the market’s operator after promises of hordes of tourists flooding the market failed to materialise.

The group, representing 73 vendors angry over their predicament, all operate stalls at the market, located opposite Loch Palm Golf Club in Kathu.

The vendors gathered at the Kathu District Office at 2:30pm today after their appeals to the Phuket Consumer Protection office and the Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsman’s Office) were turned down.

“I want my money back,” said Parichat Ruenrak, 24, who operates a small food stall at the market.

“Then I want to cancel the contract and find somewhere else. We all want our money back,” she said.

“Phuket Floating Market is a dream. Anucha Voranetiwong told us that a lot of tourists, especially Chinese, would be coming to the market, but there have been very few tourists since the market opened – and that has had a direct effect on our incomes,” she added.

Ms Parichat explained that she signed a contract to occupy and open her stall at the market, and started paying rent for her stall, in November last year.

“But we could not move in and open until the market opened. The opening was pushed back time and again – more than seven times,” Ms Parichat said.

The market finally opened to much fanfare on May 18, with Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet Rakpanichmanee presiding over the opening ceremony, which was also attended by Kathu Mayor Chaianan Suthikul. (See story here.)

However, Ms Parichat – and her 72 fellow stall holders – under the rental agreement they each signed now face a fine of B3,000 per day if they do not open their stalls.

“Many people have filed complaints to the Damrongdhama Centre about the Phuket Floating Market, that the market is not attracting the number of tourists like we were told – and as promoted before the market opened – but there has not been any response from officials,” Ms Parichat told The Phuket News.

“I invested B500,000 with my partner, that includes everything. Other people have spent a lot of money, also. I am really in trouble,” she said.

Many of the vendors The Phuket News spoke with said they faced the same predicament – they could not close their stalls to save money as they faced the same B3,000 a day fine.

Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiwong promised to review the vendors’ predicament. “I will receive your complaint, then I will call the owner of the Floating Market to come and talk with me and clear this up.”

However, he added, “Much of this also depends on the contract, what it says and what is stipulated as agreed.”

Well, whoopdi-doo.
Phuket has been my home a decade longer than you and I can also speak Thai. Seems to me, I threw away my RTG whilst you kept yours.

Joe12| 25 September 2016 - 12:02:28

Sir Burr...lol sorry to disappoint you. I am not an international reader. You know nothing about me. I could actually be Thai! You merely demonstrate the level of mentality and competency of commentators here.
Kurt...Writing to redress the excesses and falsehood by the zenophobic and ethnocentrists (those who judge other groups relative to their own ethnic group or culture, especially with concern for behaviour, customs and religion) is not patriotism but justice. I quote Ida B. Wells-Barnett, "The way to right wrongs, is to shine the light of truth among them."

Kurt| 25 September 2016 - 11:49:18

Sir Burr: Sorry, international readers also read the Bangkok post, and publications in international papers/tv.
These are stronger opinions confirming my softer approach.
Hope you can find your reading/reaction balance back.
Telling other readers what to read or not to read is a bit weird. Doesn't?
Other readers read what they like to read.
Different people, different thinking.
Just respect that part of press freedom, sir burr.
Concentrate on issues, not on personal comments.
As long a newspaper is publishing a reader comment, you have to respect that.

swerv| 25 September 2016 - 11:29:29

Kurt: I do comment occasionally on BP under a different pseudonym and TV, i say occasionally because most of the comments are intelligently written not non factual, unconnected, garbage.

Kurt| 25 September 2016 - 11:16:03

Markthalang: Right, you put the finger on the right thai 'wound'.
As I just commented myself as well!

swerv| 25 September 2016 - 10:54:44

Sir Burr: A very apt pseudonym.
After 20 years of living on Phuket ( plus traveling around the country) i think i know Thailand, customs and traditions very well plus i speak almost fluent Thai.

Kurt| 25 September 2016 - 00:58:33

swerv: Why you not satisfy your thai patriotism by reading comments in Bangkok Post and 'fight' them?
There is more 'heavy' work for you to do than in PN.
Don't limit yourself just to the relatively friendly Phuket comments only.
Do you dare such, as comments in Bangkok Post are much 'stronger' than in PN, and red more world wide either?
Comments are not denigrating Thailand and thai people.
--If we comment here about above article, Phuket Floating Market Flop, than it is a comment about a problem between thai and thai.
--If we comment here about thai driving skills we write nothing denigrating as the whole world knows that the thai drivers statistically are the second worse in the world ( Libya, a land in war is nr 1).
-- if we write about RTP, we not denigrate or damage their image. They did/do that perfectly well themselves.
-- No law enforcement. Is epidemic in Thailand. Nothing denigrating to comment about and about police officers who not understand their line of duty and behavior in free time.
-- Planning and constructing a simple underpass on Phuket? No need to say more.
-- Taxi and transport mafia on Phuket? Even high Phuket officials and the Prime Minister name it!
-- Discriminating pricing, in restaurants, for thai cheap, for foreigners up to 10x more ( national parks).
National parks which are, we learned, encroached by thai influential people with fake land tittles provided by corrupt thai land office officials.
--The story of the 2 Myanmar boys, acused of murder on Koh Tao.
Why is it now long time silence? Where are the 2 boys, how the court case is (not?) proceeding?
-- Phuket beaches, more than 2 years ago the start of clearing the beaches of not tax paying illegal vendors. Until now not a single Phuket beach has been developed in such a way that tourist are happy.
Well, there is much more, all in thai hands that is giving a impression of Thailand. ( good or wrong)
I have not the slightest idea how one of us commenting here are even able to give a wrong impression about Thailand.
And swerv, comments in Bangkok Post about all matters are much stronger than in PN.
So, much to 'graze' for you there. Salute.

Sir Burr| 24 September 2016 - 22:38:41

To the so called "International readers":-
Please don't take any posts by Kurt, swerv, or Joe12 seriously. They really haven't got a clue about living in Thailand, its customs, traditions, or how they see the world.
All three of them post crap. Don't waste your time.

Christy Sweet| 24 September 2016 - 19:54:04

I reside legally on a retirement visa. I've never heard of making guests get visas. Plenty of Thais reside in the USA, I would never dream of telling them to not express criticisms.
Kurt, myself more than few others like to vent our frustrations because we find the Thai culture to be just a little ridiculous in its....pretensions of intelligence. Comments are full of similar sentiments on just about all topics. Tell me Swerve, honestly- do you respect the way laws are enforced? The drivers, lack of common sense in public projects, how honesty is a vice, how money rules all with consent, etc., etc., etc. There really just isn't that much to respect, (IMO of course.)